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NDLEA Intercepts Cocaine, Cannabis Enroute Australia, China, Qatar

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted substantial quantities of Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Cannabis Sativa packaged for export to Australia, China, Qatar, Ireland and Thailand through some courier companies in Lagos.
In a statement, yesterday, NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the feat was achieved by narcotic officers of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation (DOGI).
He said while 2.9kg of Methamphetamine in packs of black soup and toner machine heading to Australia and Qatar was intercepted; 600grammes of Cocaine concealed in school certificates and file folders going to Australia and Thailand were equally seized.
Babafemi added that no less than 25.5kg cannabis concealed in packs of Dudu Osun soap and tins of palm fruit extracts (banga) heading to China and Ireland was also seized at a courier company in Lagos.
Meanwhile, 2,293.324kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs andN791, 100 were recovered in major raids by operatives in Ogun, Rivers and Enugu states in the past week.
According to Babafemi, in Rivers, operatives, last Thursday, raided the notorious Abuja Water Front of Port Harcourt City following information provided by arrested suspects, on their sources of supply.
He disclosed that “three suspects: Larry Samuel; Mark James and Happiness Joseph were arrested at the drug hub with 339.524kg of Cannabis Sativa, Methamphetamine and Tramadol seized and N791, 100 cash recovered from them while another drug dealer in the area Uduak Paul Emmanuel remains at large.
“In Ogun, a 30-year-old lady, Peace Egidigbo, was arrested with 1863kg of Cannabis Sativa in Mowe, Obafemi/Owode LGA on Wednesday, March 23, while no less than 150 blocks of Cannabis weighing 90.800kg were seized from the cargo compartment of a bus owned by a transport company along Orji River via Onitsha express road, Enugu State,” he disclosed.
In his reaction, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) commended the officers and men of NAIA, DOGI, Rivers, Ogun and Enugu commands of the agency for their diligence and vigilance.
He charged them to always strive to raise the bar in their operational feats.
Similarly, two drug traffickers, Elvis Uche Iro, 53 and Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian, 42, have excreted a total of 165 wraps of cocaine following their arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for ingesting the illicit drug.
The drug traffickers excreted the drugs while under observation in the NDLEA custody.
The 53-year-old Elvis, who is a father of four children, hails from Abiriba, Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State.
According to a statement by the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, yesterday, the suspect was arrested on March 19 upon his arrival on board Ethiopian Airline flight from Addis-Ababa for ingesting 65 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.376kg.
Babafemi added: “During preliminary interview, he claimed he’s an interior decorator but had to go into drug trafficking because he needed money to start a coffee business, take care of his family and stock his newly acquired shop with curtain materials/accessories in Lagos.
“He said he would have been paid $1,000 on successful delivery of the drug in Abuja.
“Another passenger on the same flight, 42-year-old Uwaezuoke Ikenna Christian was also arrested on arrival for ingesting 100 pellets of cocaine with a total weight of 2.243kg. Ikenna who hails from Ojoto, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State claims he is a businessman dealing in baby’s wears before venturing into drug trafficking.
“During preliminary interview, he said he travelled to Addis Ababa on Thursday, March 17 to buy the drug for $10,000 and returned on Saturday, March 19 when he was arrested. He said he sold his land in his village and took loans from friends to be able to raise money to buy the drug.
“He claimed he had to go into drug to raise money for his business after being duped of $15,000 by his friend who lives in China.”

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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo

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The Sole Administrator of Emohua Local Government Area, Barr. Franklin Ajinwo, has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to supporting community development, peace, and progress, describing it as his life’s calling.
Ajinwo made this known on when Okporowo Vanguard—a foremost association dedicated to driving sustainable development in Okporowo community—paid him a courtesy visit at the Council Secretariat, Emohua.

Speaking during the visit, the Emolga  Council boss advised the group to shun internal wranglings and leadership tussles, cautioning that such impediments could undermine their collective goals. He emphasized that unity is strength, and true power comes only from God.

Highlighting his ongoing efforts in repositioning standards within Emohua Local Government, Barr. Ajinwo commended Okporowo Vanguard for initiating plans to conduct large-scale skills acquisition training for young people in Okporowo. He assured them of his steadfast support towards such developmental initiative.

The former Chairman of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Rivers State stressed the need for selfless service, saying it is essential for achieving peace, unity, and development in any community.

He applauded the group’s vision of empowering youths through skills acquisition, aligning it with global best practices aimed at reducing dependency on white-collar jobs.

Earlier, the President of Okporowo Vanguard, Hon. Israel Emeji, outlined Barr. Ajinwo’s numerous and impactful contributions to the development of Okporowo community.

According to him, every family in the community has benefited from Barr. Ajinwo’s dedicated employment initiatives.

Hon. Emeji disclosed that during his tenure as Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA) and as NULGE Chairman, Barr. Ajinwo facilitated the employment of over five hundred (500) individuals from Okporowo community—a record that informed the association’s decision to honour him with the Excellent Leadership Award.

In a vote of thanks, the Secretary of the group, Dr. Okechukwu Godwin Amadi, praised Barr. Ajinwo’s outstanding leadership and unwavering support, both before and after his appointment as Sole Administrator.

He thanked him for the warm reception and appreciated members of Okporowo Vanguard for their strong turnout and continuous support for the present administration.

In their separate remarks, Barr. Kelvin Ajinwo, Chief Polycarp Ndala, and other dignitaries present prayed for God’s continued guidance and protection over Barr. Ajinwo, describing him as a divine gift to the Okporowo community.

They expressed hope that he would be granted even more leadership opportunities to further uplift the living standards of the people.

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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP  …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

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Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their  living conditions.

This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.

Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s

She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.

According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.

The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while  bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.

Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.

Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.

According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.

He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.

Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may  lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.

During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.

The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.

He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.

They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.

At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.

King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.

Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.

Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.

At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.

He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.

Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.

 

John Bibor

 

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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman 

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The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.

Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.

Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.

In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.

However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.

Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.

In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.

Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.

“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.

 

 

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